Just a Simple Thank You
by Iruka Umino's Biggest Fan
Summary: Oneshot. Edgeworth invites Phoenix for dinner at the new resturant in town, and they have a conversation.


Just a Simple Thank You

By Iruka Umino's Biggest Fan

I don't own these characters!

_**Wright and Co. Law Offices**_

_**February 12**_

I had gone up to my office early that morning to clean out Maya's old desk. Those memories were too much to live with, even if she was coming back. Spirit medium training would take a long time to complete, and I didn't know what I would do without her. She had helped in the case of The Steel Samurai, and, by doing something she wasn't even supposed to do, helped Edgeworth in the Murder Case. To think that Edgeworth was actually moved by her act of courage that I could never even work up. Speaking of Edgeworth...

I hadn't heard from him since the Murder Case a while back where he was the defendent and the prosecutor, Manfred von Karma, was found the true killer of the DL-6 Incident. I wondered day and night what he had been up to these days, and it was so much thinking, I rarely ever even got a good night's sleep anymore.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Mr. Phoenix Wright?"

"Come in."

The mailman walked in and handed me a light envelope with an unfamiliar address on it. I accepted it, hoping that it wasn't a requst for a defense attorney, and the mailman left. I waited until he was gone to practically destroy the envelope the way Maya would, and I unfolded a sheet of paper with neat calligraphy writing on it.

_Dear Phoenix Wright,_

_I don't suppose you know who this is that is writing to you. That is so like you to assume that it is a defense request. This letter, however, is just an invitation from a friend. Any clues who I am yet? Obviously not. Think! Would Larry ever write in calligraphy or let alone write you a letter? No! Haha, I'll bet you've just asked yourself, "How does this man know Larry?" _

_Anyway, I suppose you'll figure out who I am by looking at the signature at the end of this letter. I would like for you to meet me at about 7:30 PM tonight for dinner at the new resturant in town by Gourd Lake. We can catch up on things and discuss how our careers have been going since we last saw each other. I would also like to tell you something that I failed to tell you the last time I saw you. It's been bothering me for some time now, and I'd like to get it off my chest. _

_Detective Gumshoe says Happy Belated New Year! _

_-Miles Edgeworth_

I read over this letter once, twice, three times and finally set it down on my metal desk. Edgeworth wanted to talk to me?

_**Joyeux Escargot**_

_**February 12**_

I arrived at the new resturant, Joyuex Escargot, which was French for something like Happy Snail. What an orginal name!

I walked up to the waiter at the desk at the door and he looked up from a book he was reading long enough to ask me in his lousy French accent,

"Do you 'ave a reserva'cion?" He asked, barely even making eye contact with me.

"Uh...no. I'm looking for a man with silver hair, sort of tall, and--"

"Say no more. He is 'ere, _monsiour._ Ze table in ze corner, over there." The man interrupted, pointing randomly at the corner in the lefthand side.

Sure enough, Miles Edgeworth was sitting alone at the table, waiting for his order to be taken.

"Uh...thank you."

"Zat eez no problem."

I rushed over to the table in the corner, and when Edgeworth spotted me, his expression lightened up just a little. Almost as if he was cheerful! I made sure that there was nothing on my suit or face, and sat down. Edgeworth flashed a quick smile and it faded almost as quickly as it came.

"I, um, got your letter inviting me here, so..." I told him, my voice trailing off.

"And you came? Maybe you aren't that bad of a person." Edgeworth replied happily.

A waiter with his jet black hair slicked back with at least two pounds of hair gel (Maya's heart would be throbbing now) approached the table with a notepad and glanced at Edgeworth, expecting some money or at least an order.

"May I take your order?" He said with a French accent.

"Well, I suppose we'll both have...er, how about the fillet minon?" Edgeworth replied.

I nodded and the waiter jotted it down onto his notepad. He looked back up after a few seconds and glanced at the both of us.

"And ze drink?" He questioned.

"Er, water." I responded.

Edgeworth shrugged and the waiter wrote it down in his notepad, then walked off.

"I think my suit is identical to the one that the maitre'd is wearing." Edgeworth joked.

I laughed and there was an awkward pause, during which we both glanced at each other, wondering what to say next. It had been so long since I had seen Edgeworth last, and now was my chance to tell all. It reminded me of my very first case. There were so many things I'd like to be saying, but I couldn't figure out how to say them or if I should even say it at all. Then, the words finally came to me, and they hit me hard.

"So, Edgeworth...how've things been for you?" I questioned.

Edgeworth looked up from staring at the craftsmanship on the table and raised his eyebrows. Then, he realized what I had said and began with a sigh.

"Well, could be better. I haven't been in a single case since you defended the chief prosecutor in court. Things have been slow." He replied.

"Same here. I was cleaning off Maya Fey's desk when I got your letter." I said.

"Maya...Fey? Oh, oh, right. Your old assistant. I remember." Edgeworth said, nodding.

"I heard from Detective Gumshoe that you were really grateful for what she did for you in court." I told him.

Edgeworth blushed brilliant red. He looked up from his fingers and stared into my eyes with an expression that reflected the deep pain and misery he had felt for 15 years. 15 years he hd blamed himself for the death of his father, and for 15 years he had had the same reoccuring nightmare. A nightmare that he commited the crime of the DL-6 Incident.

"Wright, in my letter, I mentioned that I had to tell you something important, did I not?" Edgeworth began.

I nodded and Edgeworth sighed, as if begining a long speech. His sorrowful eyes glanced, once again, at the table, and he opened his mouth to speak.

" I wanted to tell you this a long time ago. Do you remember?"

_"I'm not really sure how I want to say this..." _

_"I know! I know! Try 'thank you'!" _

_"Erm...ok."_

_Edgeworth cleared his throat and gazed right into my eyes._

_"T-thank you, Wright."_

"Yeah...oh!" I said, finally realizing what this was all about.

"I want to say...thank you. Thank you for defending me when no one was on my side. You're a good person, Wright, and even though you rarely see past the simple things, what you and your assistant did...really meant a lot." He told me.

I began to blush brilliantly, and then, my happiness overpowered me and I began to beam from ear-to-ear. Edgeworth began to smile halfway, and then, catching himself, regained his familiar expression of either boredom or a heart-wrenching sadness. I glanced at the ground. It was too much to see Edgeworth like this. I saw Edgeworth stand up after he had finished his dinner out of the corner of my eyes, and, looking up, I followed suit.

"That meant a lot, Edgeworth. Thank you." I said.

Edgeworth smiled, payed the bill to the anxious waitor, and we walked out together. He told me that he would get back to me eventually, if work didn't prevent him from doing so, and then left in his wine-red Mercedes.

_**Wright and Co. Law Offices**_

_**February 12**_

I hung my coat on the coat rack and groped through the darkness until my hand rested on the door to my bedroom. I walked into my room, and, for a second, I thought I saw Maya standing there to welcome me back home like she had always done.

_"Welcome home, Nick."_

"Oh, Maya? Edgeworth says thank you."


End file.
